This invention relates in general to elevating and lowering mechanisms and, more specifically, to a mechanism for moving a pulpit between an elevated position for use and a lowered stored position.
Chancels or platform areas in churches and auditoriums have a variety of uses. Because some of these uses require clear floor areas without interference from a pulpit or similar object it is advantageous to be able to remove the pulpit while retaining the capability of replacing it quickly with a minimum of effort. Typically portable pulpits have been used, which require persons in addition to the pastor or speaker to carry them from a remote storage area to the area for use. Such arrangements tend to cause confusion and are esthetically undesireable.
A variety of vertically adjustable pulpits and similar units have been proposed. While useful some cases, these arrangements have tended to be slow, awkward, noisy and less than smooth in operation. Further, prior systems only slightly change elevation of the unit and so do not provide a totally useful, uncluttered area when the pulpit is not in use.
Thus there is a continuing need for a pulpit elevating and lowering system overcoming the above-noted problems.